Activist occupy oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico

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Feature story - 22 November, 2010

Four activists took action today, climbing 39 metres over the water at the deepwater oil rig “Centenario”, off the coast of the State of Veracruz, in Mexico. The activists scaled the rig early this morning to call for an end to deepwater drilling. The message on the banner? Go Beyond Oil.

Activists call for an end to deepwater drilling and send a message to all countries meeting at the UN Climate Summit:It is time to end our addiction to fossil fuels.

Earlier this year, the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster exposed the long list of problems with deepwater drilling. It exposed the lack of technical competence to prevent and deal with a deepwater emergency and the greed of the big oil companies that trade security for larger revenues. A spill similar to the Deepwater Horizon disaster would devastate Mexican coasts and threaten wildlife including thousands of whales and dolphins. Despite the devastation, there has been no ban on the drilling and business as usual has resumed in the shameless pursuit of oil to feed our addiction.

The oil rig our activists are occupying is chartered by PEMEX and is currently conducting geophysics, geotechnical explorations and testing the deepwater drilling technology. There are plans for a new deepwater rig (Bicentenario) to join this one by the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011 to start exploring oil in the Cinturon Plegado Perdido, an oilfield close to the US border.

Go Beyond Oil: Gulf of Mexico

Greenpeace climbers scale the deepwater oil rig “Centenario”, located 100 kilometers away from the coast of the State of Veracruz, Mexico and deploy banners that read “Stop Deepwater Oil Drilling” and "Go Beyond Oil." The activists call for an end to deepwater drilling and send a strong message to all the countries that will soon meet in Cancun: It is time to end our addiction to fossil fuels.

None of this has to happen. We have the chance to go beyond oil by launching an Energy Revolution, by ending fossil fuel subsidies, increasing the support for clean energy and launching strong laws and policies that limit global warming pollution – all that is needed is the political will to do so.

Less than one week before the start of the UN Climate Summit in Cancun, politicians need to realize that we need more ambitious targets and investments in renewable energies in order to combat climate change. Our governments have the choice to lead the world to a clean energy future, safe from the ravages of climate chaos or continue towards energy dependency and fossil fuel addiction.

UPDATE: All of the activists are back on the Arctic Sunrise! The activists are safe and on the ship as it heads to the port of Veracruz, Mexico.

Want to get involved and be a part of the action yourself? Join a ship yourself! Our virtual ship, the Energy [R]evolution will soon need a team of passionate virtual crew members to campaign for clean energy solutions. Do you have what it takes? Sign up today and help steer the world away from oil to an Energy [R]evolution.